Thomas p



(No Model.)

T. P. GAYNOR.

FIRE ALARM BOX.

No. 335,025. Patented Jan. 26, 1886.

NITED. STATES PATENT rricn.

THOMAS F. GAYNOR, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE LEX- INGTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE-ALARM BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,025, dated January 26, 1886.

Application filed November 18, 1884. Serial No. 148,229. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, TrroMAs F. GAYNOR, a resident of Lexington, in the county of Fayette and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Alarm Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in fire-alarm-signal boxes.

The object of my invention is to provide a tripping mechanism, which is operated by a key or other complex instrument in the hands of an authorized person from the outside of the box, whereby the signal at the distant station is immediately set in operation by a movement of the key or instrument from the out side of the box, thereby avoiding the necessity of opening the door to start the movement by a switch, trigger, or lever, which is the customary mode of turning in fire-alarms.

Another object of my invention is to employ the key or instrument used to set the alarm in motion for looking or unlocking the door.

Another object of my invention is to so construct the lock attached to the door that the key which turns in the alarm may be trapped, requiring the use of a master-key to release the same for removal.

I have shown my improved tripping mechanism attached to the bolt of the lock upon the inside of the door of an ordinary firealarm box. As constructed, it is especially adapted to trip and set in motion the special apparatus within the box, which is made the subject-matter of another application filed of even date herewith; but I do not wish to limit my invention to this particular apparatus, as it may be employed to set in motion other clock mechanisms for fire-alarms in general use.

The several features of my invention will be specifically set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improvement attached to the door of an ordinary fire-alarm box. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the lock mechanism with the inner lock-plate removed. Fig. 8 is a section on line w m, Fig.

2. Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the stoppieces of the lock. Fig. 5 is a plan view of another stop. Fig. 6 is an inverted plan View of the stop-plate. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the tripping-tumbler. Fig. 8 represents the key adapted to throw the trip-lever and unlock the door. Fig. 9 represents the key adapted to unlock the door without throwing the trip-lever. Fig. 10 represents a trap-releasing key. Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the key-hole.

A represents the door of an ordinary firealarm box; B, a lock; 0, a tripping-arm attached to arm a.

1) represents a pin or stop which strikes against the shoulder of lever a to prevent the trip 0 from moving outwardly from the look, but is allowed to move inwardly toward the lock B. When the lever a is oscillated to throw the trip down, it bears upon the lever D to set the alarm or signal apparatus in motion. The movement carries the lower end of lever O in toward the box B and ott of lever D as that moves downward.

In order that the trip 0 may be brought into the position shown in Fig. 1 above the lever D when lever a is brought back, I provide an incline, c,which strikes against the arm or lever D and throws the trip G to one side while it is being raised above the lever D. When it has cleared that point, it drops back by gravity into the position shown in Fig. 1.

E represents the locking-bolt which shoots into a catch or stop in the frame to hold the door fast.

1 represents a tumbler which throws the bolt E.

2 represents a tumbler which throws the lever a, the inner end of which is provided with an elongated slot engaging with pivot d on lock-plate 2. Lever a is journaled upon a stud, 3, which projects up from the inner face of the lock-casing B. Bolt E is slotted so as to clear the stud 3 to be moved to and fro.

. 4. represents a stop-plate which is pivoted on post 5. This pivot is the main pivot-post of the lock, on which all the tumblers and stop mechanism work.

6 represents a spring-arm secured to plate 4 to throw it back into its normal position.

7 represents a stop-plate upon post 5, provided with notches working upon lug 8, to hold the tumbler 2 and trippingarm a up or down, as desired.

9 represents a notch which engages with lug 8 to hold tumbler 2 and lever a in the position shown in Fig.2. When the key turns tumbler 2 and moves it upward,the lug 8 passes the narrow space into notch 10, when spring h throws the plate 7 laterally, and the notch catches the lug and holds it until released by key shown in Fig. 10. Tumbler. 1, which throws the bolt E, is likewise held either. open or closed by the stop-plate 4,which is provided with notches 11 and 12, that engage alternately with the lug t as the stop 4 is moved with tumbler 1 by the key shown in Fig. 8. Lug t on tumbler 1 passes through the slot in stop 4 and engages with notches 11 and 12'for holding it in the two different positions. Thus both the bolt E and trippinglever on may be locked in either position by means of a key, and either one may move independent of the other, as will be hereinafter explained, by means of independent stopplates to hold them in either position.

In order to trap the key shown in Fig. 8, which throws both the bolt E, moved by tumbler 1, and also the tripping-arm a, moved by tumbler 2, simultaneously, I have provided a tumbler, 13, which is pivoted on post 5, provided with the spring 14 to throw it back normally into the position shown in Fig. 2. It is provided with an open gain or slot to move freely over the lug 8,which limits its motion. Spring 14 holds the tumbler 13 normally against pin i, which is attached to tumbler 16, in which position it is held by a notch cut in the laterally-extended arm of tumbler 13.

6 represents a secondary notch cut in said arm, into which pin i also enters. As it is moved forward with tumbler 16,.it oscillates tumbler 13 and carries hook 17 out of the way of the key shown in Fig. 8. Hook 17 prevents the key from being turned forward to remove it from the lock, and shoulder 18 prevents it from being turned backward either to lock bolt E or remove the key. The key shown in Fig. 8 is adapted to move simultaneously tumblers 1 and 2, and thereby operate bolt E and lever a simultaneously.

19 represents a shank of sufficient width to pass into the notch cut in tumblers 1 and 2 and enter the gains 20 and 21 at the bottom of said notch and simultaneously move both tumblers; but as these two tumblers 1 and 2 each have stops 4 and 7, notch 22 on said key strikes the incline 23 onstop 4. The inner portion of notch 25 strikes the inclined surface 24 of stop 7, thereby simultaneously moving stops 4 and 7, so that the slots will pass freely over the lug 8 and allow the tumblers 1 and 2 to move. Shoulder 18 will strike against the lug 26 of the key, to prevent it from being turned backward, and shoulder 17 likewise strikes the lug,to prevent the key out of the way, so that the key I can be removed.

The tumbler 1.6 cannot be moved forward, except when the tumblers 1 and 2 are thrown upward out of its path. In Fig. 2 they are shown down or locked, and thus arrest the movement of tumbler 16, so that it cannot be used, except to release key I when trapped.

Key K (shown in Fig. 9) is provided for locking and unlocking the door A without affecting either the trip-arm a or the mechanism inside for trapping key I. Shank 31 is reduced in width, so that the notch 1" will pass the notch 21 in tumbler 2, but engage with notch 20 in tumbler 1 and move the bolt E. Shoulder 32 engages with the inclined surface 23 of stop 4 to move it into position for shooting the tumbler 1 and moving the bolt E. Thus key K may be used to unlock the door A and open it to adjust the apparatus without affecting the signaling apparatus; but when it is unlocked with said key it must be likewise looked, as key I will not pass the notch 17 on tumbler 13 to throw the bolt backward.

33 represents apost on which keys I K turn to operate the lock mechanism.

In order that the advantage of quickly starting the signaling apparatus may be more instantly realized, I form a key-hole upon the outer face of the door A, with a beveled face exactly the shape of the cross-section of the key at each particular portion of the opening of the lock opposite the key-hole, as shown in Fig. 11, so that the beveled surfaces of thelseyhole will guide the key directly onto the post 33, allowing it to be readily instantly inserted in the dark as well as in the light.

I do not wish to limit myself to the peculiar mechanism for operating the trip by a' key inserted from the outside of the box, as various modifications could be made thereon without departing from the principle of my inventionas, for instance, the key might be provided with a lug which would project through the inner lock-plate, having the trip D placed opposite thereto, so that thelug of the key would come directly upon the trip-arm D and start the clock-work mechanism inside of the box by simply turning the key.

A modification of my invention could be made in providing a key of suitable shape to throw the tumbler2and operate the stop-plate '7 to actuate the tripping-lever without throwing the bolt E, so that the alarm could be turnedin by a special key which would not unlock the door; and this key might be made to operate the trap-tumbler 13, if desired, or any other mode of trapping the key might be employed in lieu of that herein shown.

K, Fig. 9, represents a key having a lug,31, made sufficiently narrow to pass the tumbler 1 and engage with and operate the tumbler 2, operating it and its stop-plate so as to move the bolt a and tripping-arm c, for turning in the alarm without unlocking the door. This key is similar to the key K, save that the position of the lug 31 is reversed.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In combination with the lock B, the tripping mechanism a c and trip D of the bolt E, and a key turning in the lock, substantially as specified.

2. The alarm-door lock B, composed, substantially, of the locking-bolt E, tumblers 1 and 2, operated by the key I to shoot the bolt, and the tripping-arm G,substantia1ly as specified.

3. In combination with the bolt E, operated by tumbler 1, a tripping mechanism operated by tumbler 2, and suitable stop mechanisms, with the tumbler 17, for trapping the key I, substantially as specified.

4. In combination with the lock B, the stopturnblers for operating the bolt and tripping devices, the trap-tumbler 13, and the releasingtumbler 16, for releasing the trap-tumbler by means of key 28, substantially as specified.

5. In afire-alarm-door lock,B, the combination of tumblers 1 and 2 with the stop-plates THOMAS F. GAYNOR.

Vitnesses:

JOSEPH W. SIMs, M. E. MILLIKAN. 

